NY roster 2020

jon abbey

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Not much happening, I will take a shot at predicting the Opening Day roster. We can use this thread for roster predictions/discussion until Opening Day, and then roster moves/discussion after that, here's a guess at who breaks camp.

Lemahieu (2B)
Judge (RF)
Torres (SS)
Stanton (DH)
Sanchez (C)
Voit (1B)
Gardner (CF)
Urshela (3B)
Tauchman (LF)

Bench: Higashioka (Iannetta with an outside chance), Ford, Wade (Estrada also possible), and a 4th bench spot.

They could keep both Wade and Estrada, they could keep whichever of Granite and Herrera has a better spring (neither has options though, so would have to clear waivers if NY wanted to send them down later), I think Andujar and Frazier both need everyday ABs and defensive reps so I would send them both to AAA, still FA Brock Holt might also be a good fit here (sorry).

Rotation:

Cole
Severino
Tanaka
Happ
Montgomery (King possible too)

Bullpen

Loaisiga
Cessa
Heller
Green
Ottavino
Kahnle
Britton
Chapman

Heller over Holder and whoever else is the big call here, Loaisiga/Cessa are the two long guys, Loaisiga/Heller the spots that can be optioned down if a fresh arm is needed.
 

TheDivision

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Yes, looks good. I especially like the lineup order with Gleyber batting 3rd. The kid deserves it so let’s hope Boone keeps him there. Tauchman batting 9th is perfect too as that is where he shines the most and his .356/.440/.683/1.123 line in 101 AB in 2019 says something.
 

TheDivision

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Re-looking at the roster, the new 26-man rule gives the team a lot of bench flexibility. I like Wade a lot because he seemed to put it all together late last season and he hustles. Estrada is also good, and I have nothing against him and perhaps he complements Gleyber at SS better as both are from Venezuela. But I don’t know the dynamics of that relationship, but I’m sure whoever gets the bench spot will be based on performance or perhaps both as JA mentioned. Stanton is naturally an outfielder so there’s really no urgency to add another outfielder.
 

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Looks good to me, Jon, barring injuries. Or Andujar’s bat lighting up in ST.
After last year the problem is I can navigate a Missouri class battleship through that caveat. The good news is we have, apparently, either retired or fired or kicked upstairs virtually everyone connected with training, conditioning and medical in the organization. Now I have no idea to what extent the established stars can be persuaded to modify their own conditioning regimes, but I will give the organization an A+ for at least identifying and trying their best to remediate the situation. Now some decent luck would be nice...
 

terrynever

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After last year the problem is I can navigate a Missouri class battleship through that caveat. The good news is we have, apparently, either retired or fired or kicked upstairs virtually everyone connected with training, conditioning and medical in the organization. Now I have no idea to what extent the established stars can be persuaded to modify their own conditioning regimes, but I will give the organization an A+ for at least identifying and trying their best to remediate the situation. Now some decent luck would be nice...
Still worrying about injuries, Coup? Think of the other side. What if Stanton stays healthy, as he does every third season or so. What if Judge stays healthy? You’re right. Luck is part of it. And there will be some injuries so we just have to deal with it as fans. I think this team is deeper and the extra roster spot helps mitigate injuries.They did a great job of it last year. Stanton’s injury gave Tauchman his chance.
 
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TheDivision

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I was reading an ESPN article about ways that teams can use the 26th man on the roster. They broke it down to:

The professional pinch hitter and listed Mike Ford as a possibility, but I think that would only apply when facing LHP as his splits are not good batting against RHP or an OPS of .766 vs. 1.326 against LHP for 2019.

The pinch runner/defensive specialist. I think this is ideal for Wade as YES repeatedly said last year that he was the fastest player on the team. He’s also a very good defensive SS and is probably good as a utility infielder in general.

An extra platoon bat, well this would be Ford to complement Voit, right?

A third catcher (probably doesn’t apply)

The two-way player (I don’t think the team has anyone like Ohtani)

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/28710861/all-ways-mlb-teams-use-new-26th-man-roster
 

jon abbey

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Yeah, it's just a four man bench instead of a three man bench. I still think Brock Holt would be a nice fit (assuming Andujar and Frazier are sent to AAA to play every day) but that is true for most teams in baseball (that BH would be a good fit), dunno why he is still unsigned.
 

jon abbey

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No Brock Holt, no Cameron Maybin, pretty clearly NY likes the guys they have currently. The Maybin one is really a puzzler on paper except again maybe they like Granite and/or Herrera that much. Still the only player from outside the organization that they have added the entire offseason to the 40 man is Cole, that is a real tribute to the depth Cashman has built up or thinks he has anyway.

No Holt means a better chance for Estrada and even Kyle Holder behind him, and while both Holt and Wade could have made the same 26 man roster, it would have cut into Wade's chances and at 25, it is time to see if he can do the utility role they have been grooming him for for a while now.
 

jon abbey

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The Arenado reports out of COL really sound like the situation is irreconcilable, he wants to be on a contender. I think NY are the favorites (always trade your superstar to the other league if possible and he has a full no-trade clause and an optout after 2021 so COL loses leverage/value every game that ticks by and NY can afford to overpay in talent and I think take on his salary), and I think the sooner COL pulls the trigger, the more they can get from Cashman.
 

Murderer's Crow

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The Arenado reports out of COL really sound like the situation is irreconcilable, he wants to be on a contender. I think NY are the favorites (always trade your superstar to the other league if possible and he has a full no-trade clause and an optout after 2021 so COL loses leverage/value every game that ticks by and NY can afford to overpay in talent and I think take on his salary), and I think the sooner COL pulls the trigger, the more they can get from Cashman.
I don't know why we need him and how we can really afford him without significantly reducing payroll flexibility for a long time.
 

jon abbey

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Here's a trade proposal via baseballtradevalues:

COL sends:

Arenado-26.8 (with him agreeing to have the player optout after 2021 excised from deal or however that is done)
Jon Gray-39.1 (two years of control through 2021)

total: 65.9

to NY for:

Miguel Andujar-22.4 (controlled through 2023 or 2024 with another month in the minors)
Clarke Schmidt-18.8 (on some top 100 lists, dominated AA at the end of last season, not on the 40 man yet even)
Gio Urshela-16.2 (controlled through 2023, this makes me a little sad but Arenado)
Clint Frazier-11.8 (controlled through 2024, this gives COL a 3B, a LF, and a 3B/LF in the same deal, so hopefully two work out. Andujar could be the next Alfonso Soriano if he can play an adequate LF, his bat was special already in 2018 with the less lively balls)
Albert Abreu-3 (that is already enough but if you act today, we will include a barely used Albert Abreu)

total: 72.2

So that is five cost-controlled players for one pricy superstar who wants out and two years of a SP before he presumably leaves too. 13 years of control of position players for Arenado's 2, at least 12 years of control of SPs for Gray's 2.
 

jon abbey

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I don't know why we need him and how we can really afford him without significantly reducing payroll flexibility for a long time.
He's one of the ten best players in baseball and I think the economics can work fine. Also it's possible COL would take on some of the deal depending who they got back.
 

jon abbey

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If the 2021 rotation is Cole/Severino/Gray/German plus all the younger guys, they can let the market overpay Paxton and Tanaka and that is a cheap rotation even with Cole.
 

jon abbey

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With Andujar looking comfortable in LF, I think NY's position player opening day roster is basically set barring injuries (I know, Coup).

Lemahieu (2B)
Judge (RF)
Torres (SS)
Stanton (DH)
Sanchez (C)
Voit (1B)
Gardner (CF)
Urshela (3B)
Tauchman (LF)

Bench: Higashioka, Ford, Wade, Andujar
 

RedOctober3829

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deep inside Guido territory

TheDivision

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With Andujar looking comfortable in LF, I think NY's position player opening day roster is basically set barring injuries (I know, Coup).

Lemahieu (2B)
Judge (RF)
Torres (SS)
Stanton (DH)
Sanchez (C)
Voit (1B)
Gardner (CF)
Urshela (3B)
Tauchman (LF)

Bench: Higashioka, Ford, Wade, Andujar
Nice, we all love Miggy, just not at 3B.
 

jon abbey

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So, without Stanton, Andujar slots in at DH:

Lemahieu (2B)
Judge (RF)
Torres (SS)
Voit (1B)
Andujar (DH)
Sanchez (C)
Gardner (CF)
Urshela (3B)
Tauchman (LF)

Bench: Higashioka, Ford, Wade, Frazier
 

jon abbey

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I really don't know why they didn't grab Cameron Maybin when they could have.
 

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With Andujar looking comfortable in LF, I think NY's position player opening day roster is basically set barring injuries (I know, Coup).
I would be thrilled if Andujar can hold down a corner OF position. I hope your eye is well calibrated and accurate.
 

jon abbey

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I would be thrilled if Andujar can hold down a corner OF position. I hope your eye is well calibrated and accurate.
Heh, I barely saw him, but both Boone and Cashman seem to be impressed and he has another month to practice.
 

jon abbey

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With Stanton out, you have Tauchman/Gardner/Voit/Ford/Urshela/Andujar/Frazier to cover LF/CF/1B/3B/DH, so 7 players for 5 spots, plenty of ABs to go around.
 

jon abbey

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Some impressive pitching results so far from guys needed to step up with Severino/Paxton/German out:

Cessa 3.2 1 0 0 0 5
Loaisiga 3 0 0 0 0 5
Montgomery 4 1 0 0 1 7
Happ 5 2 1 1 0 5

A combined 15.2 4 1 1 1 22, that is close to perfect.
 

jon abbey

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Because I am a roster geek, of course I was into Higashioka singling out Nick Nelson, especially since I don't really know what we have in him as he only came onto my radar late last season.
 

TheDivision

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Because I am a roster geek, of course I was into Higashioka singling out Nick Nelson, especially since I don't really know what we have in him as he only came onto my radar late last season.
I looked at the Fangraphs Roster Resource website that you shared on the Red Sox forum. The roster resource is great resource, btw, and thanks as it makes matters much easier to follow. But I have a question, on the projected opening day status, it has Loaisiga in the starting rotation. Is that a possibility? And he can start ahead of one of the prospects, Schmidt for instance?
 

jon abbey

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Yeah, he is slotted there because of experience, but I'd guess if they did go with him, they might use an opener first? Cashman had a list of possibilities a couple days ago that was mildly revealing, I'll try to find it.
 

terrynever

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Seems to me like this might be a pitching-first team in 2020, especially if Judge and Stanton are part-timers. Defense, too, becomes more important. Tauchman and Gardner are top-notch. Andujar in left? Not so much. Frazier seems to have improved from his abysmal defender status to mediocre.

It’s a different team now than one month ago. Bronx Bombers, my ass.
 

jon abbey

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Andujar looks good in left according to all, he was bad at first base yesterday and it sounds like they will mostly drop that part of the plan. DH, LF, 3B occasionally (yikes) and 1B in an emergency seems to be the current plan.
 

jon abbey

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A short piece on Rosell Herrera who is looking likely to make the team if Stanton and Judge aren't ready Opening Day (looking very likely currently):

"Get to know Rosell Herrera:

- Switch-hitter who plays INF/OF
- Leads all Yankees with 4 XBH
- Leads all Yankees with 6 runs
- Leads all Yankees with .563 BA
- Leads all Yankees with 1.463 OPS"

"There's not much Herrera can't handle on a baseball diamond; he can play all over the field, he can hit from both sides and he's got ample speed - quite a combination of impressive tools. And while he's been a consistent contributor in the Yankees lineup thus far, evaluators praise his defensive abilities even more."

http://web.yesnetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20200306&content_id=312983052
 

jon abbey

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Torreyes didn't play the OF and he was only adequate defensively, Herrera can play a bunch more positions and is better defensively, it seems.
 

jon abbey

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With Judge out indefinitely, I wonder if NY considers signing Puig now. I still don't get why they didn't sign Maybin, who was basically begging to come back at the end of last season and who was out there until February.
 

jon abbey

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NY traded for Tauchman on March 23 last year, so could make a similar deal this year for someone they like who is an odd man out elsewhere. Right now their OF is Tauchman/Gardner/Frazier/Andujar and Herrera/Wade, getting pretty thin.
 

jon abbey

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A bunch of kids sent down just now, no surprises:

"The Yankees have optioned RHP Brooks Kriske to Triple-A Scranton/WB, RHP Albert Abreu and OF Estevan Florial to Double-A Trenton, and RHP Luis Gil and RHP Luis Medina to Single-A Tampa, and reassigned RHP Domingo Acevedo and RHP Alexander Vizcaíno to minor league camp."
 

terrynever

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ESPN ranked their top 100 for 2020.


82. Stanton

63. Sanchez

58. Chapman

57. DJ

32. Gleyber

15. Judge

2. Cole
In the context of modern baseball, I would be more interested in a top 100 list of injury prone players and posters. What a top 10!
1. Ellsbury
2. Stanton
3. Paxton
4. Judge
5. Severino
6. Coup
7. terrynever
8. Sanchez
9. Al Nipper
10. E5Yaz

Abbey is No. 1 on the durability list. He has posted for 44,312 consecutive days!
 

jon abbey

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Bumping this with Cole/Scherzer scheduled for a week from tonight...

With Judge back today (homered to dead center off Paxton 1st AB, worked a 7 or 8 pitch walk off Paxton in his second AB) and DJ supposedly back shortly, NY still is missing three pitchers (Tanaka, Chapman, Cessa) but they have a full complement of position players at least temporarily. I think Rosell Herrera is the best guy currently out (once DJ is actually back), which means even their initial 30 man team will be tough to make (sorry Clint).

Lemahieu (2B)
Judge (RF)
Torres (SS)
Stanton (DH)
Hicks (CF)
Sanchez (C)
Voit (1B)
Urshela (3B)
Tauchman/Gardner (LF)

Additional bench: Andujar, Estrada, Wade, Higashioka, Ford, Iannetta

Not making it: Clint, Duffy, Florial. Clint and Florial are the only other position players on the 40 man.

That is sixteen guys, probably at least one more than will make even the 30 man roster, and it still doesn't include Frazier. I don't know how you cut from here, Ford was the single best hitter in all of MLB against LHP last year (despite being a lefty!) just ahead of JDM, how does he not make an Opening Day roster if healthy? Estrada has been hitting better than anyone in camp, Wade is a great pinch-runner/defensive replacement who plays six positions, Duffy I think signed with NY with a promise he would make the team as the backup 3B (just my hunch), Iannetta would make a lot of other teams as a good backup. Duffy and/or Iannetta would need 40 man spots.

So If they think Andujar can be an occasional backup 3B (eek), maybe they let Duffy go and replace him on the 60 man (not sure of the rules here, if they have to offer him to other teams or not). Wade and Estrada would be possible options too there behind Gio.

So I think I would take 16 position players/14 pitchers. NY has 22 pitchers on the 40 man with Severino out, Gil/Medina/Yajure unlikely to contribute this year (but it would be cool), Chapman/Cessa on the Covid list, Tanaka maybe not ready until a week or so into the season, so that is 16 left plus Clarke Schmidt. Drop Nelson, Kriske, Abreu and you are down to 14.

Cole
Paxton
Happ
Montgomery
Schmidt

King
Deivi
Loaisiga
Heller
Holder
Green
Ottavino
Kahnle
Britton

That is my 30 man roster as of today, with DJ added in as back. With only a 60 game season you shouldn't be holding your best pitchers back too much, you want them to get innings. The top five relievers there all have options (again, not sure of the 2020 rules here yet) so lots of flexibility too if needed, and also Tanaka should be back a week or two in, it seems.